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Essentials of Tai Chi and Qigong

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Course Overview

If you’ve ever seen a group of people moving in exquisitely graceful dance-like exercises in your local park, gym, or community center, you have witnessed the ancient Chinese arts of tai chi (taiji) and qigong. These ordinary people are improving their health, strength, balance, concentration, and mental well-being—and they are having fun while doing it! Best of all, you can enjoy all these benefits yourself, regardless of your current level of physical fitness.

Tai chi is a philosophy of balance and a pinnacle of the martial arts, known as tai chi chuan (or taijiquan), which means “the ultimate martial art.” Qigong, which is traditionally studied alongside tai chi, means “energy exercise.” Together, these two disciplines are transforming the way people take care of themselves. No need for high-intensity workouts that focus on a limited set of muscles and leave you feeling drained. Instead there is a better, centuries-old way to exercise that has these advantages:

The slow-motion moves of tai chi and qigong utilize more of your muscles than other exercises, giving you a total-body workout.

Tai chi and qigong are meditation in motion. You lose yourself in the rhythmic flow of the forms. Anxiety and the cares of daily life dissolve away.

The documented medical effects of tai chi and qigong include improved heart, lung, bone, and mental health, and an enhanced immune system.

Tai chi and qigong require no equipment. You can do them anywhere and need only enough space “for an ox to lie down,” as the traditional expression puts it.

People of all ages enjoy tai chi and qigong, while the low intensity of the poses makes them especially well suited for older people.

Essentials of Tai Chi and Qigong is a complete introduction to the practice, history, benefits, and philosophy of these immensely rewarding activities. In 24 half-hour lessons, you learn the fundamentals of tai chi and qigong from an internationally renowned tai chi champion and trainer, David-Dorian Ross, who has been practicing tai chi for more than 35 years.

No other presentation of these venerable arts is as comprehensive and enjoyable. Unfailingly friendly and helpful, Mr. Ross explains each movement in easy-to-follow steps. He has a gift for anticipating a beginner’s questions, leaving no doubt about how you should be positioned for each pose.

And where other video products exist that emphasize mimicking an instructor’s choreography, which can end in boredom or burnout, this course is a multi-layered combination of practical instruction aimed at physical and mental health, together with deep insight into how to motivate and enrich movement and mindfulness in your own life, using the best of qigong and tai chi.

Those already experienced in tai chi and qigong will gain an unprecedented scope of understanding and will find Mr. Ross’s mindset and detailed instructions invaluable for refining their own skills. And his presentation of background topics, such as Chinese philosophy, medicine, and martial arts history, will enrich the practice of tai chi and qigong for everyone.

Master the World’s Most Popular Tai Chi Routine

Each lesson of Essentials of Tai Chi and Qigong starts with a standing qigong exercise to get you energized. In the middle, you perform an easy tai chi movement to get you into the flow. You conclude each lesson with a posture from the Yang family short form, the best known of the different tai chi styles. The 24-movement Yang family short form, often called simply the short form, is the most widely recognized and performed tai chi routine in the world. When you see tai chi practitioners in the park—from Beijing to San Francisco to Paris—they are most likely doing the short form. By mastering one segment of the short form in each lesson, you will be able to join them, and even step out on your own, in no time!

The short form includes such memorable movements as Parting the Wild Horse’s Mane, White Crane Spreads Wings, and Waving Hands Like Clouds. The names are mnemonics to help you remember the graceful shapes you create as you take a step, turn, raise your arms, and then move forward, back, or to the side, making a distinctive figure depending on the movement. One posture beautifully merges with the next, with moves that are the foundation for many other tai chi routines.

You also learn about four other family styles of tai chi, as well as personal modifications you can make so that tai chi and qigong will work for you, no matter what your level of fitness or flexibility.You even investigate rudimentary weapons exercises, as well as a two-person exercise of tai chi, called push hands, that you play with a partner.

Get in Balance and Improve Your Health

Studies by Harvard Medical School and other research centers show that tai chi and qigong have a wide range of health benefits. These include:

Blood pressure and cholesterol: Tai chi and qigong are good for your heart, with effects including lowered blood pressure and improved levels of cholesterol.

Weight loss: Tai chi burns calories at a surprisingly high rate and reduces stress, making weight loss easier. It is also an excellent activity for people who are overweight.

Healthy back: One of the principles of tai chi and qigong is proper body alignment, which leads to good posture. The practice also helps control and relieve back pain.

Better balance: Even simple tai chi and qigong poses improve balance, reducing the risk of falls for older people and those with neurological problems.

Balance also encompasses the way you lead your life, both at home and at work. We are all familiar with the competing demands on our time and attention that produce stress. Practicing tai chi and qigong can help resolve these tensions—not by making them disappear, but by putting them in perspective and making them manageable. Whenever life is in balance, everything works better. This inner harmony is represented by the ancient Chinese yin-yang symbol, and you will be intrigued to learn how completely this idea of balanced opposites permeates Chinese philosophy, medicine, and martial arts—and how tai chi epitomizes the best of those traditions, bringing them together for you in ways that are eminently practical, and potentially life-changing.

Take a Journey of Health and Fulfillment

Impressively graceful, Mr. Ross looks like he was born to do Chinese martial arts. But it’s inspiring to know that he was never athletic growing up; that as an adult he couldn’t sit still long enough to meditate in a seated posture, yet he fell in love with the moving meditation of tai chi; and that he has gone on to win the highest awards ever given to an American for international tai chi performance.

There’s no reason you can’t take a similar journey of health and fulfillment. “The best way to begin,” says this consummate practitioner and guide, “is to find a joy in the basic rhythms. All you have to do is put one foot forward and start.” Take that step and experience the joy of movement yourself with Essentials of Tai Chi and Qigong.

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24 lectures

| Average 31 minutes each

1

The Snake and the Crane

David-Dorian Ross recounts the history of tai chi and qigong, which are closely related practices. Then he introduces the Yang family short form of 24 individual movements, which is the most widely performed tai chi routine. He closes with his top ten tips for your personal practice. x

2

First Steps in a Journey

Start the first of the qigong exercises, called the Frolic of the Five Animals. You also begin a regular routine of simple tai chi drills. Then learn the first two movements in the 24-movement short form: Opening the Door and Parting the Wild Horse's Mane. x

3

Harmony and Balance

Continue with the Frolic of the Five Animals. Then delve into the concept of harmony and balance embodied in the idea of yin and yang, which inspires the philosophy and practice of tai chi. Close with Crane Spreads Wings in the short form routine. x

4

The Ultimate Martial Art

Tai chi as a martial art is called tai chi chuan (taijiquan), which can be translated as 'the ultimate martial art.' Investigate the defense and fighting aspects of tai chi, which deepen your appreciation for the power behind this seemingly gentle art. Then learn Brush Knee and Push in the short form. x

5

The Five Families of Tai Chi Practice

Branch out from the Yang style to see how other families of tai chi perform the movement called Single Whip. Mr. Ross also explains the fascinating history of the five families: Chen, Yang, Wu, Wu/Hao, and Sun. Close with Playing the Pipa in the short form. x

6

Qigong and the Five Animal Frolics

Learn the final posture in the qigong series called the Frolic of the Five Animals. Then explore the ancient concept of qi, the life force that underlies the practice of qigong and tai chi. Finally, add Repulse the Monkey to your repertoire of the 24-movement short form. x

7

Energy Exercise: A Branch of Chinese Medicine

Deepen your understanding of qi and its role in traditional Chinese medicine, which is radically different from Western medicine. Discover how qigong and tai chi are designed to manipulate qi energy. Close by performing the next movement in the short form: Grasp the Bird's Tail on the left side. x

8

The First Pillar of Practice: Forms

Learn how to walk with mindfulness. Then study the first pillar of tai chi practice: forms, which are the choreographed dance-like movements that most people associate with tai chi. For the short form routine, practice Grasp the Bird's Tail on the right side. x

9

The Second Pillar: Push Hands for Two

Begin a new qigong series called the Eight Pieces of Brocade. Next, explore the second pillar of tai chi practice: push hands, which involves gentle but challenging sparring with a partner. End with a movement called Single Whip. x

10

The Third Pillar: Standing Meditation

Experience the feeling of standing with proper alignment as you explore the third pillar of tai chi: standing meditation. Experiment with a qigong exercise called Standing Like a Tree. Then lose yourself in the next dream-like sequence of the 24 movements: Waving Hands Like Clouds. x

11

Benefits to the Heart and Immune System

Delve into clinical studies showing that tai chi excels as a non-pharmaceutical treatment for heart and lung disease, as well as being a valuable adjunct to cancer therapy. In the short form, repeat Single Whip. x

12

A Healthy Weight and a Healthy Mind

Continue your study of tai chi and health by looking at its documented benefits for treating obesity and Alzheimer's disease. Then reach the halfway point in your study of the 24-movement short form with a pose called High Pat on Horse. x

13

Tai Chi Legends: Stories of the Masters

Marvel at the amazing exploits of classic tai chi masters, including two legendary champions, Zhang San-Feng and Wang Tsung-Yueh, and a historical figure, Yang Lu-Chan, who invented the Yang style. Conclude with another segment of the short form: Stand Up and Kick with Heel. x

14

Reading the Tai Chi Classics

Study the oldest and newest chapters in the Tai Chi Classics, watching Mr. Ross demonstrate the principles of proper tai chi technique as he recites the texts. Then learn one of the more martial movements in the 24-part lesson: Boxing Both Ears. x

15

A Superior Workout: Use More of Your Muscles

How can the slow dance of tai chi compete with running or weightlifting as a workout? The secret is that tai chi activates many muscles at the same time, burning calories at a high rate. For the short form routine, practice Stand Up and Kick on the other side. x

16

Eight Pieces of Brocade and a Better Back

Learn the last movement in the qigong series called the Eight Pieces of Brocade. Then go through the entire routine from the beginning, concentrating on how qigong and tai chi promote correct posture and a better back. Close with Snake Creeps through the Grass from the short form routine. x

17

Tai Chi Weapons: When Hands Are Not Empty

As students advance in tai chi, they move from empty hands forms to weapons play, which has the same elegant choreography but with sticks, swords, or spears. Try out this ancient martial art, seeing how even everyday objects can be used for practice. Then master a new movement in the short form: Rooster Stands on One Leg. x

18

Using the Mind: Inner Organizing Principles

Focus on tai chiâ's organizing principles, which underlie everything you have learned in the course. These include the balance of yin and yang; softness overcomes hardness; and use mind, not strength. Close with Snake Creeps through the Grass on the other side. x

19

Mental and Physical Flow

Experiencing life with balance and harmony requires that you master flow, which is a traditional principle of tai chi. Look at both mental and physical aspects of flow. Then for the short form, study Rooster Stands on One Leg on the other side. x

20

Creating Space for Choices

Imagine what it would be like if you were never entrapped by stress again. Thanks to your study of tai chi and qigong, this blissful state is already in your grasp. For your next segment of the 24-movement routine, perform Fair Lady Works at Shuttles. x

21

Flow at Work: When Business Is in Balance

Discover how to integrate the outlook and practice of tai chi into your work life. Study a routine that you can do in your office or cubicle, as it requires only one step in each direction. Then, learn Looking for the Needle at the Bottom of the Sea. x

22

Energy Flow in Your Surroundings

Qigong manipulates the flow of qi in your body. Learn how the art of feng shui allows you to harmonize qi energy in your surrounding environment. Also investigate the ancient Chinese five element theory. Close with Opening the Arms Like a Fan in the short form. x

23

Taking Practice Deeper

Mr. Ross devotes this entire lesson to the 24-movement short form, showing you how to take your practice to a deeper level by mastering subtleties in the poses and transitions. Go through all the moves you have learned so far. x

24

The Evolution of Tai Chi

After warming up with a final qigong exercise, analyze how tai chi is helping millions in the Western world adapt to the challenges of 21st-century life. Then learn the concluding exercises of the short form: Deflect Downward, Parry, and Punch; and Closing the Door. See how everything you've learned comes together while performing the entire 24-movement series. x

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Download 24 video lectures to your computer or mobile app

Downloadable PDF of the course guidebook

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24 lectures on 4 DVDs

160-page printed course guidebook

Downloadable PDF of the course guidebook

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Course Guidebook Details:

160-page course synopsis

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Your professor

About Your Professor

David-Dorian Ross, International Master Tai Chi Instructor

David-Dorian Ross is the founder and CEO of TaijiFit and the creator of the TaijiFit mind-body exercise program. He has a B.A. in Human Movement Studies from San Francisco State University, has completed graduate course work in Physical Education and Chinese, and is currently developing a project with the head of the Harvard Medical School research department to study the stress-reduction benefits of tai chi (taiji) in...

Reviews

Essentials of Tai Chi and Qigong is rated
4.4 out of
5 by
280.

Rated 5 out of
5 by
Jilloldwoman from
Great LessonsI just bought this and have listened to and am now practicing the first lesson. Easy to follow along and understand. I am looking forward to all the benefits these lessons have to give.

Date published: 2019-08-20

Rated 5 out of
5 by
taoss from
Essentials of Tai Chi and QigongI bought this course this month and so happy I did. The teaching method is very easy to follow. Thank you for taking the time to put this program together.

Date published: 2019-08-15

Rated 2 out of
5 by
Bugger from
Great if your dyslexicI can't do it, Captain. Watching this guy do everything and having to reverse it all in my head is very distractiing for me. A split screen wiht both views would have been useful. As is, I can't do this.

Date published: 2019-08-08

Rated 4 out of
5 by
NC68 from
FollowRelatively easy to follow David , I’m sure as I practice longer it will flow better

Date published: 2019-08-04

Rated 5 out of
5 by
Pugar from
Best everDavid Dorian Ross makes learning something new fun and easy. Great for seniors.....

Date published: 2019-08-02

Rated 4 out of
5 by
Vakadzi2016 from
well presentedA well presented series of lectures giving the history and philosophy of Tai Chi and Qigong, as well as showing the moves. A pity there is not an extra disc that shows just the individual moves, one after the other because in order to learn each move one has to replay the entire lecture to find where they start and finish. Other than that I've enjoyed the course and want to study both martial arts further.

Date published: 2019-07-30

Rated 5 out of
5 by
darnoC5 from
ExcellentI am only on lecture 7 but the information is great. I do have to rewind every now and again to learn the moves. Very informative on TaiChi which is what I was looking for. I highly recommend this if you want to learn TaiChi on your own like me. I have some martial arts background which helps but this is very easy to understand.

Date published: 2019-07-27

Rated 5 out of
5 by
mlmccar2 from
Great teacher!I am really enjoying this course. It touches on the history of Tai Chi, and the moves are broken down so it's easy to follow. The teacher is great, you get the feeling he enjoys the class and wants everyone else to enjoy it